Tuesday, hundreds of San Diegans gathered at Golden Hall to watch the results of what seemed to many as a never-ending election. For Democrats, there was much to be hopeful about. As polls closed in San Diego and results came in from the rest of the country it was clear that nationally it was a good night for Democrats. President Barack Obama had been projected to win re-election, and the Democratic Party gained seats in the Senate.
Locally, the night was far from over, as the first results had mixed news for local Democrats with Scott Peters, Dave Roberts and Congressman Bob Filner trailing in their respective races and Councilmember Sherri Lightner surprisingly ahead in her race.
In the mayor’s race Democrats clung to the hope that ballots from south of the I-8 highway would heavily favor Bob Filner.
“I think he has it,” said Ryan Hurd, executive director of the San Diego County Democratic Party. “There are plenty of ballots south of the 8.”
The large crowd went wild as Barack Obama accepted the nomination. Cheers from the Westin Hotel, where the Democrats held their election night viewing party, could be heard blocks away. Even as some of their local candidates were trailing for the moment there was much to celebrate; but it wasn’t until late into the night that the results began to change.
For one first-time voter the issue in the election came down to gay rights.
“I voted Obama because my mom told me to, just kidding,” said Jesus Flores. “For real though, could you imagine what would happen if Romney were elected. He doesn’t support a single right and Obama does.”
In the mayor’s race, Bob Filner erased a 2,800 vote deficit and was reported in the lead by more than 4,200 votes, eventually establishing a 10,000 vote lead at last reporting.
The contrast in the moods of the crowd was most apparent as the opposing candidates in the mayoral race gave their respective speeches. Carl DeMaio spoke at 11:15 p.m., as he held a 4,000 vote lead over Bob Filner, to a crowd of excited activists and supporters. Bob Filner, meanwhile, gave his speech with a 3,000 vote deficit and the energy of his audience was subdued in comparison.
“We need your prayers,” Filner said. “Or if you think humanistically we need your humanistic thoughts.”
Filner cast the race as a race against the establishment.
“The same people who have been in power are still at the table,” he said. “I’ve said to these people we are going to move you way over and have new people at the table and they’re going to look different.”
In other races, Dave Roberts had established a 24-vote lead at one point and was now leading Steve Danon by about 1,900 votes in his race to become the first openly gay county supervisor and the only Democrat on the Board.
Scott Peters closed his vote deficit and now leads incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Bilbray by just under 700 votes.
“I knew that votes south of the 8 take a while to be reported,” said Eric Hufford, a rather vocal LGBT activist who helped organize the opposition “Turn Your Back On DeMaio” protest. “But it’s the Roberts and Peters’ races that surprised me and reminded me that one vote really matters.”
The leader of the local gay Republicans lamented the results.
“Spankings from my Dad didn’t hurt this bad,” said Ryan Trabuco, president of the Log Cabin Republicans of San Diego and the Clairemont Town Council. “In regard to fiscal reform Carl DeMaio’s loss was a huge loss for San Diego, but he lost because he spent too much campaigning in an echo chamber and not enough time campaigning in places that mattered.”
Trabuco’s criticism specifically was about Carl DeMaio’s failure to attend mayoral forums at the Clairemont Town Council, a group that represents the interests of the residents of San Diego’s largest community.
With 475,000 absentee and provisional ballots to be counted much can change in the next few days and potentially weeks. Wednesday morning, however, Republican outgoing Councilmember Carl DeMaio conceded his race for mayor.
